Water Margin: Lu Bu sits on Mount Liang

The restaurant was quiet. Sun Li squinted, holding the wine glass on the table without saying a word. He glanced at his relatives sitting at his table, his gaze sweeping over the scars on the faces of Sun Xin and Gu Dasao, then at the missing figures at Shi Jin and Zhu Wu's table, and finally at Lei Yingchun and Zhang Yue'e, who were now only husband and wife. He lowered his head and stared at the wine glass in his hand, his face expressionless.

Sun Li heard Song Jiang's cheerful laughter, and then he said something, but Sun Li didn't pay any attention to what he said.

"Big brother, big brother, what are you thinking about?"

Sun Xin's voice reached his ears, and the sickly Yuchi's eyes twitched before he came to his senses. He glanced at his brother who had somehow gotten close to him, and his lips twitched: "Nothing, I was just thinking about something."

The noise reached his ears, and he noticed someone standing up to drink with others. Only then did he look at Sun Xin and ask, "Why didn't you find anyone to drink with?"

"What are you looking for?" With a wry smile, Sun Xin clinked his glasses with his brother's and drank by himself. "I just feel like drinking doesn't taste the same as it used to..."

Sun Li glanced at him, then silently raised his cup and drank. The two brothers were drinking and eating in silence, while in the distance, Li Kui was having a drinking contest with Wu Song. The Black Whirlwind was laughing heartlessly, while the turbaned traveler had one foot on a stool and remained expressionless.

"Bam—"

A loud noise came from behind. Sun Li and Sun Xin stopped and looked over with Sister-in-law Gu and Le He.

Lu Junyi slammed his hand on the table and staggered to his feet, reeking of alcohol as he looked at Bai Sheng, whose eyes were glazed over, and said, "Why aren't you drinking! You..." He pointed at him and said, "Why are you looking at me like that? Are you mocking my family for having trouble?"

"Huh? Ah? No, I, hiccup..." Bai Sheng's eyes, which had been staring blankly, suddenly widened in surprise. He waved his hands repeatedly, "I really can't drink anymore, I've already had too much to drink."

The sickly Yuchi glanced down at Lu Junyi's feet, his eye twitched, and he saw four empty wine jars.

“Deputy Chief Steward…” Yan Qing’s face was flushed from drinking. He quickly stood up and helped him up. Lu Junyi waved his arm, and the playboy quickly took a step back. Then he stepped forward and said, “Brother Bai is just not a good drinker. It’s not his intention. If you drink him under the table, no one will drink with you. I’ll drink with you.”

He waved his hand repeatedly towards Bai Sheng, and the usually clever White Day Rat stared at him for a long time before finally bracing himself on the corner of the table, bending over, and spinning to his feet. Perhaps he used too much force, because he fell to the ground with a thud.
Yan Qing's face darkened. He wanted to go over and take a look, but Lu Junyi was causing a great disturbance, and he couldn't get away for the time being. He could only look at Xu Ning, who was calmly drinking by himself, but he didn't even bother to glance at him.

"Brother Bai."

Seeing that Bai Sheng had been lying there for a long time without anyone paying attention to him, Le He, being kind-hearted, quickly got up and dragged him to a corner to lie down.

All around, people were drinking and making noise. Some glanced in their direction and then grabbed their wine jugs and started drinking. It was only after Song Jiang and Yue He helped the person aside that they seemed to realize what was happening and went over to take a look.

The two Sun brothers held their wine bowls. The older brother tilted his bowl towards his younger brother and said softly, "Do you know what's wrong with it?"

Sun Xin gave a wry smile and drank it all in one gulp.

……

Further south, a middle-aged scholar named Wen Huanzhang entered the city gate of Cizhou and sighed as he looked at the bustling streets.

Since being driven out of the central army by that bastard surnamed Liu during the Northern Expedition two years ago, he lost all interest in gaining military merit. After wandering back to Song territory, he no longer thought about entering the central government as an official. Instead, he planned to find a job in a military prefecture outside the city and, incidentally, peddle the theory of the threat from the State of Qi.

Unfortunately, although many people saw him, no one was willing to listen to him finish speaking before sending him out.

He stroked his beard, looked at his clothes which were slightly faded from washing, and sighed as he recalled the resume of the new prefect of Cizhou. He murmured, "I hope this Prefect Zong will listen to a word I say."

After composing himself, he walked to the vicinity of the prefectural government office and hesitated for a long time before taking a few steps forward and bowing to the guards outside: "Excuse me, I, Wen Huanzhang, request an audience."

……

The weather in the north is getting colder and colder.

After the first snowfall in December, the land of Jizhou was so cold it could freeze people to death, yet the army was still gathering during this season.

Heavy snow blocked the roads and the ground was blocked. Most soldiers no longer sought to cross the mountains and trek through the snow. Instead, the navy was active. Ships sailed through the waves, transporting soldiers and food from Youbeiping to the coast by water.

Low, flat roofs were erected near the coast, and banners representing generals fluttered in the sea breeze. Soldiers in black armor swept away the snow, revealing a wide road leading directly to the sea.

The grain on the ship was loaded onto mule carts by the soldiers of the navy and cavalry, and transported to the distant military camp amidst shouts. They would find a way to transport it into Pingzhou City in a couple of days, and when the weather was good, they could also send it to the southern border for use in the war.

As the sacks on the ship were gradually emptied, the generals, dressed in winter clothes, went ashore one after another and entered the houses that were warmed by braziers.

boom--

The door closed, and Ruan Xiaoer, whose face was weathered, looked at the person who came in. He raised an eyebrow, and Zhang Heng patted the slightly warm wine jar next to him: "Brother Li Jun, come and have some wine to warm yourself up."

"Thank you, General Zhang."

After thanking Zhang Heng, Li Jun cupped his hands and said, "Greetings, General Ruan." Only then did he lead the Tong brothers forward to sit down.

"Oh? Does Li Sima know me?" Ruan Xiaoer looked at Li Jun, who had just sat down, with some curiosity.

"Who in the navy does not know the general's reputation? Moreover, Li Jun has had the honor of meeting the general's other two brothers."

After speaking softly and looking at Ruan Xiaoer's face for a while, Li Jun suddenly smiled: "Judging from this, the three generals have similar eyebrows, eyes, noses, and lips, but their faces are not the same."

"Haha, that's what everyone says. Although the three of us were born of the same mother, we are quite far apart, so it's normal that we don't look alike."

Ruan Xiaoer was not annoyed when he heard this. He laughed for a while before stopping and looked at the three of them with interest: "I once heard my two brothers mention Jiangning. They said there are many heroes in the water there. It's a pity that Brother Li is only coming now. Otherwise, he would at least be a general."

The two Tong brothers listened with wry smiles on their faces.

Li Jun remained calm: "It's all about timing and fate. Although it's a pity, life is full of disappointments, and it's not too late now."

"Hahaha, you're right." Zhang Heng laughed loudly and patted his chest: "If Jun-ge follows me, I guarantee he'll be able to lead an army on his own in less than two years."

Li Jun smiled and said, "Then I'll take your kind words, General."

Zhang Heng's face grew even happier. He poured wine and handed it to the group. After drinking the hot wine, the group, who had just returned from the sea, breathed a sigh of relief.

Ruan Xiaoer chewed on a piece of dried squid tentacles, the stiff tentacles swaying up and down: "The troops in Youbeiping should only be able to reach us here this month. The rest are too far away and the journey is inconvenient, so we can't meet them for a while. We can have some easy days from now on, and maybe we can even have a good New Year."

"The most difficult to deal with must be the troops of the Protectorate General. They're deep in the grasslands, and it's hard for them to come back." Zhang Heng let out a hiccup, then stroked his chin and turned to Li Jun: "By the way, Jun-ge, you once said you were involved with the Song army. You must have some good friends there, right? Maybe you could turn a couple of them to the enemy?"

Ruan Xiaoer's eyes lit up as he looked at the River Dragon. Tong Wei and Tong Meng's expressions changed, and they frowned as they looked at the grinning Zhang Heng.

"Hard to say."

Li Jun glanced at the gazes of the two men opposite him, thought for a moment, and shook his head: "Back then, we were just one of the brave warriors. Let alone the defeat in battle, even if we had won, it would have been difficult to obtain an official position. Even if we were to turn them to defect, we would only be able to recruit one or two skilled generals. It's hard to say what benefit we would have."

"What a pity." Zhang Heng chuckled and raised his wine bowl. "Come on, let's drink. In a couple of days, when my brother and General Chi return, we'll set sail again. Let's take this opportunity to drink and eat more."

“That makes sense,” Ruan Xiaoer laughed.

Li Jun and his two companions were delighted to have food and drink, and naturally did not object. They all raised their bowls to welcome them. Before long, they had finished two jars of wine, and then ate some dried meat and pickled vegetables. They dared not get drunk so as not to cause any trouble, and then they returned to their respective camps.

Zhang Heng and Ruan Xiaoer, both generals, had their barracks located further inside. They went out first, and the Tong brothers followed Li Jun to his residence. As soon as the door closed, Tong Wei angrily swung his fist and said, "Damn it, the petty man has gotten his way. That Zhang Heng used to be nothing but a gambling addict, but now he can ride roughshod over us grandpas."

Tong Meng sat down angrily to the side: "Just looking at his face makes me uncomfortable. Damn it, if you ask me, Shun-ge'er is still the best. He's still as amiable as ever, and he doesn't look down on anyone. We were both raised by the same mother, so how come there's such a big difference?"

"Alright, that's enough." Li Jun peeked out through the crack in the door before coming over to sit down. "His attitude hasn't changed. He was the same way back on the banks of the Xunyang River. Doesn't that mean he's a consistent person?"

Tong Wei and Tong Meng thought for a moment, then slumped their shoulders in frustration: "That's true, but looking at that guy still makes me so angry."

Li Jun stepped forward, patted the two men on the shoulder, and supported them with his hands, saying, "That fellow came before us brothers and has already rendered meritorious service to the emperor. What's there to be unhappy about? We can get a junior officer position in his army, which is much better than being in the Song army."

A cold wind blew in from outside, causing the doors and windows of the wooden house to tremble. The three of them felt a bit cold. The Tong brothers helped to light the brazier. The orange flames burned in the room for a while before retreating into the charcoal. The flickering black objects occasionally emitted an alluring red glow.

“Jun-ge’er, Qi is going to attack Song next, so we…” Tong Meng stood up and looked at the other two with some hesitation.

Tong Wei raised an eyebrow and looked at Li Jun.

"...Qi is different from Song, and you have all seen that."

Li Jun squatted in front of the brazier, his eyes somewhat glazed as he looked at the red light that occasionally flashed in the brazier: "Leaving aside the punishment for deserters, just consider the rewards for military merits and the soldiers' desire to fight. You and I have both served in the Song army. Even if we send out their plans, will it make a difference?"

The Tong brothers exchanged a glance and shook their heads in unison.

"So, we brothers should just stay here and rest easy. We finally escaped the Song army and went through all sorts of hardships to find Zhang Heng and Zhang Shun. If we leave so easily, what were we doing all this time? Wasting our lives?"

"It really is……"

Snapped--

The older brother slapped the younger brother on the forehead.

"You asked such a brainless question!"

……

To the north lies Dading Prefecture.

Last night's snowfall covered the cleared streets again. Men dressed in thick clothes went out to the streets, using brooms and shovels to shovel and sweep away the snow on the ground. The sandy road underneath was hard and had some thin ice, so they found hard objects to break it up and fill in the potholes.

Pan Zhong carried two jars of strong liquor into the small courtyard. Duan Er saw him and hurriedly came up: "General, you're here! Come in quickly. Third Sister roasted some meat. Let's eat together. It smells delicious."

Hey!
With his toes touching the ground, he abruptly stopped walking.

"……what?"

Pan Zhong suddenly turned his head, his face ashen as he looked at Duan Er: "Duan, I've always thought I treated you well. You came to me and I took you into the army without a word. I've also reported your merits these past two years. Why are you trying to harm me? Something's not right..."

She landed on her heels, took a step forward, and grabbed Duan Er's arm: "Tell me quickly, which one did Third Sister kill? This place is not like your Jingxi, where the laws are strict. Are you looking for death?"

"What?"

Duan Er was taken aback at first, then realized what he meant and shook his head vigorously: "Hey, what are you thinking? The lamb that Third Sister roasted smelled amazing, it's not that kind of fragrant meat."

Looking at Pan Zhong's serious face, he said, "We've finally stabilized, and I don't want to die." He then wiped his forehead and said, "Goodness, you scared me. Who would dare to eat that stuff again?"

Pan Zhong finally relaxed and pointed at him, saying, "Damn it, the only time I ever got into trouble was at your house. You better not cause me any trouble here. If you get into trouble here, I can't protect you."

"I know, I know."

Duan Er had been in the underworld for a long time, experiencing ups and downs over the years, and had developed a thick skin: "General, don't worry. Come, come, come in quickly. We won't leave until we're drunk tonight."

The figures moved into the house, and soon the sounds of drinking and commotion could be heard coming out.

Within a few days, the troops of Dading Prefecture assembled, cleared the snow from the drill ground, and the sounds of battle shook the heavens.

……

Mid-December of the seventh year of Jianwu.

Another heavy snow fell, covering the rooftops, streets, and outside the city in a blanket of white. The weather was freezing cold, with a biting north wind. There were hardly any people on the streets, and those who did go out were bundled up tightly and walked quickly, as if they could get to their destination in a flash.

Inside the imperial palace in Yanjing, a huge cauldron was lit, flames licking the metal from within, radiating heat. In the warm chamber, wine cups were clinking and laughter filled the air. Lü Bu drew a short dagger and plunged it fiercely into a winding blue line—the Juma River.

The army will be dispatched next spring, and the next strategic move is of great importance. The Juma River used to separate the Liao and Song dynasties, and now it separates the Qi dynasty. It is a key location for the Zhao Song dynasty to station troops and defend.

The tall figure turned around and sat down. Lü Bu placed one hand on the long table and glanced at the civil and military officials below: "The scouts report that Zhao Song has sent a lot of troops to the border in the past two years. They are obviously also on guard against us. I don't think they can stop our advance. The concern is, where will we go next?"

His tone was calm, with the serenity of a tiger about to devour its prey.

The people below looked up at the short dagger stuck in the geomantic map.

The noise subsided somewhat. Wang Zheng, his face flushed from the wine, tore open a leg of lamb, rolled up his sleeves, rested his elbow on the table, and pointed at the lamb leg: "I intend to take Zhen Ding Prefecture and Hejian Prefecture first. Once these two places are under our control, we can use them as a base to advance our eastern army towards Daming Prefecture. That's a piece of fat meat; once we take it, it will be much easier for us to continue south." (End of Chapter)